Container nozzle and cap



April 20, 1965 A. SAFIANOFF CONTAINER NOZZLE AND CAP Filed Nov. 26, 1963 United States Patent Oil-ice 3,179,276 Patented Apr. 20, 1965 3,179,276 CONTAINER NOZZLE AND CAP Albert Safianoif, Rolling Hills, Calif., assignor to The Gillette Company, Boston, Mass, a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 325,882 r 2 Claims. (Cl. 215-73) This invention relates to'a container for liquids such as detergent solutions, lotions, bleaches and the like and particularly to a liquid dispensing nozzle for the container and a cooperating removable closure cap for sealing the container and nozzle against escape of liquid or vapors. i

It is customary at present to package liquids of many kinds in containers of the type called plastic squeeze bottles, these having the desirable characteristics of light weight, of resistance to breakage and to chemical attack and of collapsibility for dispensing liquid therefrom by squeezing the container rather than by pouring. Although the present invention is contemplated for use on or with containers of this character, its usefulness with containers of glass, metal or other material will be apparent.

One object of the invention is to providea container with a liquid dispensing nozzle which can be used as an applicator or spreader for the liquid and which may be cleaned easily after use, to prevent undesirable accumulations of liquid or other deposits on the nozzle. Another object is .to provide a closure cap for such'a nozzle and for the container carrying the nozzle, this cap being readily removable and replaceable, but when secured properly in place, sealing and preventing leakage of liquid from either the nozzle or container and protectively covering the nozzle. A further object is to provide, with such a nozzle for a container, a closure cap, which may be removed and replaced repeatedly without damaging itself, the nozzle, or the container.

These and other objects of the invention are met by providing, in the mouth of a container, a dispensing nozzle plug of flexible material having a resilient annular sealing ring thereon surrounding the nozzle and longitudinally spaced from the mouth of the nozzle. A closed end cap is removably mounted over the nozzle and sealing ring, this cap having one face which will seat upon and seal the dispensing orifice of the nozzle and another tapered sealing face which will seat upon and seal against the periphery of the sealing ring surrounding the nozzle.

When the cap is firmly secured upon the container, as by engagement of cooperating screw threads on the cap and on the container, the sealing faces are properly engaged and the plug carrying the nozzle is held firmly within the mouth of the container. I

Other objects, advantages and further details of that which is believed to be novel and included in this invention will be clear from the following description and claims, taken with the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated an example of container with nozzle and cap embodying the present invention and incorporating the improved features outlined above.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view through the top of a container showing a nozzle and closure cap according to the invention, as they would appear, in partly engaged condition, and

FIG. 2 is a similar sectional view showing the nozzle and cap in fully engaged and sealed condition.

In carrying out the objects of this invention, in one embodiment thereof, a container shown as the bottle 5 is provided with an open mouth 7 surrounded by exterior screw threads 9 or similar formations for engaging and securing a closure cap thereon as later explained. In its preferred form the entire bottle will'be made of a flexible resilient synthetic plastic material such as one of those commonly used in the manufacture of plastic squeeze bottles.

Closing the end of'the open mouth 7 of the container is a plug or insert 11 having an open cylindrical mounting skirt 13 at one end, of a size and extent to fit firmly firictionally within the open mouth of the container, and an outwardly extending stop shoulder 15, engageable against the end of the mouth of the bottle to limit the degree ofinsertion of the plug 11 therein. As thus far described, the construction is similar to those now known and readily available.

Extending centrally of the plug 11 is a tapering noz zle portion 17 with outer smooth sides and an open interior communicating with the inside of the mounting skirt 13 and therefore with the inside of the bottle. The end or tip of the nozzle is preferably smoothly rounded as at 19 and is provided with a liquid dispensing orifice 21, ofsuitable reduced size if desired, communicating with the interior of the nozzle. The material of the nozzle insert may be the same as that used for the container although a readily pliable flexible and resilient synthetic plastic composition is preferredfor the nozzle insert for reasons which will later become apparent. I

At the base of the nozzle is a flexible resilient annular sealing ring 23 which surrounds the nozzle and is radially spaced from its side wall 17 and longitudinally spaced from the tip 19 of the nozzle. This sealing ring is preferably formed as an upstanding collar or flange integrally secured to the nozzle insert along a margin of the ring remote from the tip of the nozzle and having its other or outer margin free to act as a sealing surface. Besides acting as a sealing ring in conjunction with a cap applied to the container, the upstanding formation of the collar or ring 23 serves to provide a drip catching trough 25 surrounding the nozzle proper. This will prevent unwanted liquid from coating the threads 9 or running down the sides of the container.

For closing and sealing the nozzle and the container, a closure cap 27 is provided, this cap having an open end with interior threads 29 and a closed end 31. The exteriorof this cap may be of any shape or design, ornamental or otherwise, but the interior surfaces are carefully formed to provide sealing faces for cooperation with portions of the nozzle insert. The first inner sealing face on the cap is a flat sealing face 33 on the closed end of the cap, this face being at right angles tothe axis of rotation of the cap in a position to seat upon and seal the orifice 21 at the end of the nozzle when the cap is mounted thereover and the screw threads 29 are fully engaged with the screw threads 9 on the container, as illustrated in FIG. 2. If desired, the sealing face 33 may be surrounded by an annular rib 35 to form a dimple or crater with additional surfaces engageable around the rounded tip 19.

Nearer the open end of the cap 27 a second inner sealing face is provided, this being the face 37 of generally conical configuration tapering toward the closed end and in a position to seat upon and seal against the periphery or outside of the flexible ring 23 when the cap is mounted on the nozzle. As seen in FIG. 1, when the cap is first applied and partially engaged, the outer edges of the tip of the flexible collar 23 will engage against the conical sealing face 37 before the flat sealing face 33 closes the opening 21. Thereafter, as the cap is tightened, the tapering surfaces of the sealing face 37 will compress the free margin of the ring 23 radially inwardly, the form of the ring and the flexibility and resiliency of the nozzle insert material thereby providing a firm seal under constant pressure. Even a slight loosening of the cap will age might occur at the nozzle tip.

For best results, the cap is made from a molded plastic 7 which may be similar to the material used in making the nozzle, but atleast the inner surface of the cap and for simplicity-the entire cap, should be of hard and rigid construction so that good mechanical engagement of the threads 29 with the threads 9 may be made and so that the conical sealing face 37 will properly compress the sealing ring 23Vand the sealing face 33 will firmly engage against and around the tip of the nozzle. Synthetic plastic compositions having the required hard or rigid characteristics are readily available for making the cap.

It will be noted that, because the sealing interfaces be tween the capandthe nozzle are all located well beyond the screw threads 9 of the container, the outer surfaces of the entire nozzle are smooth and unobstructed so that it is useful as a spreader or applicator for the liquid. Furthermore, this smooth and unobstructed nozzle may be wiped off easily or otherwise kept clean between uses and the cap Will prevent the accumulation of dirt on the nozzle when the container is not in use.

It is diflicult in manufacture always to maintain the same precise dimensions in cooperating molded plastic parts such as those intended to be used here. However, because of the tapering sealing wall 37 which engages against the free edge of sealing ring 23, there is no precise dimension which must be maintained between the tip of the nozzle and the free margin of the sealing ring 23. This'means that relatively wide variations in dimension maybe permitted in the manufacture of the cap and the nozzle insert and that when the cap is firmly seated at its closed end against the dispensing orifice of the nozzle, there will be, no excess pressure on the tip of the nozzle which might split it after repeated applications and removals of the cap. With a container nozzle and cap according to the present invention a butt seal is always maintained at the end of the nozzle because of the wide range of dimensional difference allowable with the sealing ring 23 and cooperating conical face 37.

f As the cap 'is screwed on to the container and the sealing surfaces on the nozzle insert are engaged by the sealing faces on the cap, the shoulder will be drawn firmly against the outer end of the. open mouth 7 of the bottle. Therefore the mouth of the container as well as the nozzle will be closed and sealed.

7 As will be evident from the foregoing description, certain'aspects of this invention are not limited to the particular details set forth as an example, and it is contemplated that various and other modifications and applications of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore intended that the appended claims shall cover such modifications and applications as do not depart from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A container cap and nozzle comprising, in combination:

a container having a neck and open mouth at one end thereof, a portion of the external surface of said neck being threaded;

a nozzle formed of a flexible resilient synthetic plastic composition mounted on and extending outwardly from said neck and overlying a portion of saidneck, said nozzle tapering from a maximum diameter approximately the same as said neck at its juncture therewith toward its outer end and having an orifice at said end longitudinally spaced from said neck, said orifice being substantially smaller than the mouth of said neck;

a flexible resilient annular sealing ring in the form of an upstanding flange radially spaced from the wall and longitudinally spaced from the orifice of the nozzle, said ring being secured to the wall of the nozzle along the margin of the ring remote from the orifice and having its other margin free; and,

a closed-end screw cap of hard and rigid material having threads for engaging the threads on said container and being removably mountable over said nozzle and sealing ring, said cap carrying a first inner sealing surface disposed at right angles to the axis of rotation of the cap and in position to seat upon and seal the orifice of said nozzle when the cap is mounted on said nozzle and a second inner sealing surface of generally conical configuration tapering toward said closed end in position for s-lidably engaging and radially compressing the free margin of said sealing ring to seat said nozzle firmly against the mouth of said container and seal said cap against said sealing ring when the cap is mounted over the nozzle.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 in which said cap includes a resilient annular rib mounted adjacent the first sealing face in position to engage the periphery of the end of the nozzle when the cap is mounted on the nozzle. 1

References Cited in the'file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A CONTAINER CAP AND NOZZLE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: A CONTAINER HAVING A NECK AND OPEN MOUTH AT ONE END THEREOF, A PORTION OF THE EXTERNAL SURFACE OF SAID NECK BEING THREADED; A NOZZLE FORMED OF A FLEXIBLE RESILIENT SYNTHETIC PLASTIC COMPOSITION MOUNTED ON AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID NECK AND OVERLYING A PORTION OF SAID NECK, SAID NOZZLE TAPERING FROM A MAXIMUM DIAMETER APPROXIMATELY THE SAME AS SAID NECK AT ITS JUNCTURE THEREWITH TOWARD ITS OUTER END AND HAVING AN ORIFICE AT SAID END LONGITUDINALLY SPACED FROM SAID NECK, SAID ORIFICE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER THAN THE MOUTH OF SAID NECK; A FLEXIBLE RESILIENT ANNULAR SEALING RING IN THE FORM OF AN UPSTANDING FLANGE RADIALLY SPACED FROM THE WALL AND LONGITUDINALLY SPACED FROM THE ORIFICE OF THE NOZZLE, SAID RING BEING SECURED TO THE WALL OF THE NOZZLE ALONG THE MARGIN OF THE RING REMOTE FROM THE ORIFICE AND HAVING ITS OTHER MARGIN FREE AND, A CLOSED-END SCREW CAP OF HARD AND RIGID MATERIAL HAVING THREADS FOR ENGAGING THE THREADS ON SAID CONTAINER AND BEING REMOVABLY MOUNTABLE OVER SAID NOZZLE AND SEALING RING, SAID CAP CARRYING A FIRST INNER SEALING SURFACE DISPOSED AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF THE CAP AND IN POSITION TO SEAT UPON AND SEAL THE ORIFICE OF SAID NOZZLE WHEN THE CAP IS MOUNTED ON SAID NOZZLE AND A SECOND INNER SEALING SURFACE OF GENERALLY CONICAL CONFIGURATION TAPERING TOWARD SAID CLOSED END IN POSITION FOR SLIDABLY ENGAGING AND RADIALLY COMPRESSING THE FREE MARGIN OF SAID SEALING RING TO SEAT SAID NOZZLE FIRMLY AGAINST THE MOUTH OF SAID CONTAINER AND SEAL SAID CAP AGAINST SAID SEALING RING WHEN THE CAP IS MOUNTED OVER THE NOZZLE. 